Signature handling apparatus



United States Patent [72] inventor Gosta R. Linden Park Ridge, New Jersey [2l] Appl. No. 750,693 [22] Filed Aug. 6, 1968 Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 677,258, Oct. 23, 1967, now Patent No. 3,510,119. [45] Patented Dec. 1, 1970 [73] Assignee North American Rockwell Corporation Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania a corporation of Delaware, by mesne assignments [54] SIGNATURE HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. CI. 270/54; 271/5, 271/51 [51] Int. Cl. B65h 39/02 [50] Field ofSearch 271/51; 270/54-56 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,571,805 10/1951 Wood 271/51 2,855,195 10/1958 Young 270/54 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorneys- Dale A, Bauer, John L. Seymour ABSTRACT: An apparatus and method for handling signatures, sheets, and the like, such apparatus being adapted for use in collating apparatus having a series of hoppers from which signatures are fed in rapid succession to a plurality of conveyors where the signatures are gathered in collated form. The invention particularly relates to a novel apparatus and method for effecting the transfer of signatures in generally flat condition from one of said hoppers to said plurality of conveyors. The apparatus includes a single primary transfer reel receiving signatures from the hopper and transferring them in generally flat condition, and a plurality of similar, similarly driven secondary transfer reels interposed between the primary transfer reel and the respective conveyors, said secondary transfer reels each receiving selected ones of the signatures transferred by the primary transfer reel and carrying them in generally flat condition to the conveyors.

INVENTOR.

COSTA ROLAND LINDEN ATTORNEYS Pafe'ntgd Dec. 1, 1970 3,544,097

lSheet 2 of INVENTOR. COSTA ROLAND LINDEN BY .5m Mwm ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Sheet INVHNTOR. COSTA ROLAND LINDEN ,5m @nf/Wm ATTORNEYS Panted Decf 1, 1970 4 ofs Sheet Patented Dec. l, 1970 Sheet 0 NEYS SIGNATURE HANDLING APPARATUS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 677,258, filed Oct. 23, i967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,119. The invention relates to an apparatus and a method wherein a plurality of stacked signatures are fed in succession from a hopper to successive collating conveyors by transfer mechanism interposed between the hopper and each of the conveyors.

In Gore U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,007, issued Sept. l, 1964, and assigned to the assignee ofthe present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus for handling signatures and adapted for generally the same purpose as the apparatus of the present invention. In the apparatus of Gore, however, the first or primary transfer mechanism is of the so-called planetary type, each of the rotating or planet signature transfer means on the reel of the first transfer mechanism being provided with its own signature gripper means in the form of vacuum cups, such gripper means also feeding thesignatures from the hopper.

In contrast thereto, the apparatus of the present invention employs a first or primary reel type transfer means in the form of a rotatable frame, the first transfer means having a plurality of angularly spaced signature transfer stations thereon at each of which the signatures lie in generally flat" condition, disposed about the periphery of the frame. The signatures are thus readily accessible at all times, and may be readily removed from the first transfervmeans when necessary, as upon the misfeeding of one or more signatures. Further, the gripper means on the first transfer means are mechanically operated and thus are positive in their operation. The described construction of the first transfer means of the present invention permits the use of a single transfer means, here disclosed as a vacuum cup transfer means, mounted on the stationary frame of the apparatus and disposed to transfer signatures one at a time from the hopper to the first transfer means. y

In the apparatus shown in the above patent to Gore a second transfer means is disposed between the first transfer means and each of the collating conveyors, the plurality of second transfer means being angularly spaced about the axis of the first transfer means. In such prior apparatus, however, the two secondary transfer means are of different construction and are driven at different speeds. In the apparatus of the present invention, the two secondary transfer means are of identical construction andl are driven at the same speed, thereby permitting the duplication of parts in the manufacture of the apparatus, and simplifying the timing of the primary and secondary transfer means relative to each other.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a signature feeding apparatus which maintains the signatures in generally flat condition while feeding them from a hopper to successive conveyors.

Another object of the invention is the provision of signature feeding apparatus wherein the signatures being fed are readily accessible at all times, and may be readily removed from the apparatus when necessary.

A further object of the invention is the provision of signature feeding apparatus having a first or primary. transfer means and a plurality of second transfer means receiving signatures from the primary transfer means, all of the transfer means having mechanically operated signature gripping means.

A still further object of the.invention is the provision of signature feeding apparatus having a first transfer means and a plurality of second transfer means wherein the second transfer means are of at least substantially the same construction.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of improved mechanism for transferring signatures one at a time from a hopper to a signature transfer mechanism such as a reel having signature gripping means thereon.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. l is a fragmentary view in side elevation of signature feeding mechanism in accordance with the invention, such mechanism supplying signatures to one station of each of two collating conveyors;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the apparatus of FIG. l, the view being taken in the direction from left to right in FIG. l, the two collating conveyors being omitted for clarity of illustration; i

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through the apparatus, the section being taken along the broken section line 3-3 of FIG. 2, the view showing in solid lines the suction pickup of the apparatus engaging a signature being fed from the hopper, the position of such pickup before it engages the signature being shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the suction pickup having released the signature which it engages in FIG. 3 and such signature engaged by a gripper on the primary transfer reel;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section through the apparatus showing the parts thereof in a position somewhat different from those in FIGS. l and 2, the vacuum pickups being shown as having released a signature which is now engaged by a gripper on the primary transfer reel, the section being taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section along line 6-6 of FIG. 2 through the apparatus, such view showing the parts of the apparatus in a still different position, later than that of FIG. 5, with two signatures disposed upon the primary transfer reel.

One form of signature handling and feeding mechanism constructed and operated in accordance with the present invention is herein illustrated in a signature gathering machine wherein a series of supply stacks or hoppers (one shown) containing piles of printed and folded sheets referred to as signatures are simultaneously fed from said hoppers by a series of similar signature transfer means. Each of the signature transfer means alternately deposits a signature on two spaced apart pusher type conveyors so that the signatures from the hoppers are successively assembled flatwise one upon another into groups on each conveyor for subsequent stitching and/or binding operations to form complete books, magazines or the like.' It will be understoodthat this novel signature handling and feeding mechanism may also be embodied in other machines for handling and feeding plain sheets of paper as well as signatures. For the sake of simplicity and brevity in illustrating and describing the present invention, and since all the feeders are identical in construction, arrangement and operation, only one of the series of signature handling mechanisms is herein illustrated and described.

The illustrative apparatus of the invention includes a first transfer reel having a plurality of signature transferring stations spaced thereabout, and means for feeding one by one the signatures from a hopper to such first transfer reel. An automatically operated first gripper means is provided at each station on the first transfer reel, the respective first gripper means engaging the leading end of signatures which are successively fed from the hopper. A plurality of second transfer reels, two

shown herein, which are of similar construction and are similarly driven in synchronism with the first reel, are spaced angularly about the first transfer means and are each interposed between the first transfer reel and a respective conveyor of the collator. The second transfer reels, which have automatically operated second gripper means thereon, are of such construction and are so mounted that the path of the second gripper means thereon is tangential to the cylinder containing the path of the first gripper means on the first transfer reel, but is laterally displaced therefrom. The signatures on the first transfer reel are transferred to successive second transfer reels, and from there are transferred to respective collating conveyors.

In the preferred embodiment, a single means having timeoperated vacuum cups is employed to feed the signatures from GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF THE APPARATUS Turning now to the drawings, the apparatus of the invention has a fixed frame which includes spaced upright parallel main frame members affixed to a suitable base such as a table, as shown. The right-hand platelike main frame member in FIG. 2 is designated 10, the generally similar left-hand frame member being designated llThe upper and intermediate portions of frame members and'll are secured together in the desired spaced relationship by cross or spreader members affixed to the frame members 10 and 1l, an upper crossmember being designated 12 and a lower crossmember being designated l2'. The parts of the signature handling apparatus, to be described, are supported upon such frame, such parts including a signature hopper 20 having a partially open lower end, a first or primary signature transfer means 14, means 21 for feeding signatures one at a time from the hopper to the first transfer means, a plurality (two shown) of secondary transfer means 22, 24 selectively receiving signatures from the primary transfer means, and a plurality (two shown) of pusher type conveyors 25,26, one such conveyor being associated with each secondary transfer means.

A stack 18 of a plurality of signatures 13 is held in the hopper 20, signatures 13 being fed therefrom one at a time by a feeding means generally designated 21 which in this instance is of the vacuum cup type. Signatures thus fed by the means 2l are delivered to the first or primary signature transfer means 14, which is of the reel type. Means 14 has a main horizontal shaft 15 which extends between the frame members 10 and 1l and is journalled in bearings 16 and 17 affixed to such respective frame members. Shaft l5 is driven by suitable means (not shown) such as an electric motor which is connected to such shaft by a chain 23 entrained about a driving sprocket 19 on the end ofthe shaft outwardly of frame member l0.

Angularly spaced about the shaft 15 is a plurality of second or secondary transfer means of the reel type, there being two such transfer means shown, the lower of which is designated 22 and Ithe upper of which is designated 24. The paths of signatures carried by the primary and secondary transfer means coincide at one angular zone of each of such means. Transfer means 22 and 24 are driven in timed relationship to the primary transfer means 14 so that a signature 13 carried by transfer means 14 is released from the primary transfer means at the same time as it is being gripped by the gripping means on the respective secondary 'transfer means. The secondary transfer means 22 and 24 discharge their respective signatures to the respective pusher type collating conveyors 25 and 26, where they are superimposed upon and/or underlie other signatures which have been fed to the conveyors by other similar signature handling mechanisms. The use of two or more secondary transfer means 22, 24 permits the pusher type collating conveyors to be run correspondingly more slowly than if all of the signatures discharged from the primary transfer means were deposited upon a single conveyor. As a consequence, the speed of the pusher fingers upon the conveyors is decreased and there is much less danger of injuring the stacked signatures by the signature engaging fingers of a conveyor.

' The Primary Transfer Means 14 As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the primary transfer means 14 includes a right-hand disc 27 and a left-hand disc 29,

such discs being spaced apart along the shaft 15. The signatures being fed by transfer means 14 are supported on the peripheries of such discs 27, 29. Discs 27and 29 are affixed to the shaft 15 and rotate therewith along with aifu'rther, gripper operating disc 30, which is affixed to the shaft outwardly of the disc 27; In the embodiment shown, the transfer means 14 has twoV signature feeding stations which are spaced l about its axis, the first such station being designated 3l and the second being designated 32. Since the two statiois'are identical except as noted'below, only station 3l need bedescribed in detail;

' At the location of the station 31 on the transfer means 14 there is a cross gripper shaft 34 which extends between and is journalled in the discs 27 and 29. Shaft 34fextends outwardly beyond disc 27 to the gripper operating disc 30 in which the end of the shaft is also journalled. Attached to the laterally inner faces of each of the discs 27 and 29 at the station 31 is a fixed gripper pad 35, the radially outer surface of which lies on a shallowly flattened zone 50 of the respective discs 27 and 29. Affixed to the gripper shaft 34 by suitable collarlike fittings telescoped over the shaft 34 adjacent such discs are gripper leaf springs 36. The trailing end 37,0f each gripper spring overlies the respective gripper pad 35 when the gripper is closed, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The shaft 34 is oscillated in timed relationship to the rotation of the shaft l5 and the first transfer means 14 mounted thereon so that the gripper means is open to receive the lower or leading end of a signature which has been separated from the .stack 18 by means 2l, is closed immediately thereafter, and remains closed until the signature is ready to be transferred to the gripper means of a respective one of the secondary transfer means 22 and 24. The remainder of the thus gripped signature travels about the reel 27, 29 of means 14 upon the innner surface of curved guides 33 which are spaced outwardly from the peripheries of discs 27 and 29.

Such timed operation of the gripper means 35, 36 is effected as follows. Mounted upon the inner face of frame member 10 and disposed around the main shaft 15 is a composite cam 39 which in this instance has two ringlike portions 42 and 43 of the same external contour and a third cam ring 38. An annular fitting 38' adjustably mounts the partsI 38, 42, and 43 of the composite cam upon the frame member 10, fitting 38 having a circular cylindrical hub upon which the cam portions 38, 42, 43 are adjustably mounted and secured by set screws (not shown). lt will be seen that by loosening the set screws for retaining the cam parts 38, 42, and 43, such parts may be turned relative to the fitting 38' and to each other in order suitably to adjust the timing of the operation of the gripping means 35, 36 at stations 31, 32.

In order to open and close the gripping means 36 through a larger arc there is employed in the operating mechanism for each a gear segment 40 (FIG. 6) on one arm of a lever which is pivotally mounted at its outer end on a cross shaft 4l which is affixed to the disc 30. The gear teeth of the gear segment mesh with a pinion 44 affixed to the gripper shaft 34. A coil tension spring 45, which extends between a spring anchor 46 on gear segment 40 and a spring anchor 47 on disc 30 constantly urges the gear segment in a clockwise direction, as it is shown in FIG. 6, that is, in the gripper closing direction. The gear seg ment 40 is cyclically thrust in the opposite direction against the opposition of spring 45 by a cam following roller 49 which is journalled on the gear segment lever intermediate its length. Roller 49 engages and follows only the portions 42, 43 of the above described composite cam 39 as the reelof means 14 rotates with shaft 15 with respect to thecam 39. The gripper means at station 3l is identical with that at station 32 except that the cam follower roll 49' at station 31 is so disposed as to engage only the portions 38,43 of the cam 39.

lt will be apparent from the above that the gripper means at each of stations 31 and 32 remains open so long as its cam follower roll engages a high zone of the cam portions which it follows, and is closed'by its spring when its cam follower roll engages a low zone of its cam portions. The cam follower 49' at station 31 (FIG. 6) after having entered the low zone of cam portions 38, 43 remains closed until the reel 14 has turned sufv reel 14 is thus closed as such station travels from hopper 20 to the lower secondary transfer means 22. The gripper means of station 32 is closed during the travel of such station from hopper 20 to the upper secondary transfer means 24. After the stations 3l and 32 have reached their respective secondary transfer means 22 and 24, their gripping means are opened to permit transfer of the signatures which they grip to the proper secondary transfer means.

The Hopper 20 The hopper 20 is provided with an inclined conveyor having a driven belt 58, such conveyor` being provided with conventional side guides, as shown. A transverse and upwardly and forwardly inclined plate 52 serves to stop the stack 18 of signatures 13, and with the cooperation of a bottom support 63 supporting the stack as shown. The end stop plate 52 terminates substantially above the bottom support 63, so as to permit access of the vacuum separator means 2l to the lower end of the forwardmost signature in the stack. The bottom support 63 has a plurality of adjustable pins 68 on its forward end, so that the forwardmost signature, in the stack is stably held until it is gripped and separated by the means 2l.

The Vacuum Cup Separator 21 As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, at the right-hand edge of the frame of the apparatus as it is there shown, and adjacent the lower, forward end of the hopper 20 there is disposed a crank lever 53 which oscillates about a horizontal shaft 54 extending between the frame parts and 11. Lever 53 has a first, generally horizontal arm 55 to which is secured compression spring means 56 constantly urging the lever counterclockwise as it is shown in FIGS. l and 5. Such means 56 includes a rod 57 which is pivotally secured to the end -of arm 55 by a pin 59, a fixed lower abutment 60 through which the lower end of rod 57 extends, and a coil compression spring 6l, the lower end of which engages the upper encl ofthe abutment 60 and the upper end of which engages a nut or collar 62 adjustably mounted upon the rod 57. It will be seen that the spring 61 constantly urges the arm 5S upwardly and thus the lever 53 counterclockwise.

The crank lever 53 has a second, generally upright arm 64 which is connected to a cam follower for operating the vacuum cup separator. The cam 65 (FIGS. 1 and 5) for operating the vacuum separator is mounted upon the left-hand end of the main shaft l5 of the primary transfer means as it is shown in FIG. l, and rotates with such shaft. Cam 65 is of symmetrical shape (FIG. 5), having two lobes 73 disposed 180 apart, and two low zones between the lobes. A cam follower roll 66 is journalled on the outer end of a first arm 67' of a firstclass cam follower lever 67, lever 67 being pivotally mounted approximately centrally thereof on a stub shaft 69 which is affixed to the frame part ll. The other arm 67" of lever 67 ls connected at its outer end by a pivot pin 7l to the rear end of a bar 70, the forward end of the bar 70 being connectedby a pivot pin 72 to the outer end of the second lever arm 64 of crank lever 53. It will be apparent that the coil compression spring 6l acting through the described linkage causes roll 66 to follow cam 65.

Crank lever 53 has a third arm 74 to which is affixed a vacuum cross pipe 75. Spaced along the cross pipe 75 and affixed thereto are a plurality of fittings 76 from each of which a sucker carrying pipe 77 depends. Aff'ixed to the lower end of each pipe 77 is a sucker head 78, the signature engaging portion of which is made of resilient material such as soft rubber. A flexible hose 79 extends from theupper end of a fitting on the left-hand end of cross pipe 75 to a source of vacuu/m, to be described.

In its operation the described oscillation of the crank lever 53 by the cam 65 and cam follower 66 and the spring means 56 causes the suckers 78 to be simultaneously moved betweenV the full line and phantom line positions thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the cam followerroll 66 engages a lobe 73 of cam 65 the suckers 78 are retracted as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and in phantom lines in FIG. 3, and when the roll 66 engages a low zone of the cam the spring means 56 advances the suckers 78, now connected to a source of vacuum, into the position thereof shown in full lines in FIG. 3 wherein it operatively engages the foremost signature 13a. As they are advanced, the suckers are moved counterclockwise in an arc; as they are retracted they move clockwise in an arc. Such motion of the suckers upon retraction bends the loweredge portion of the signature 13a, which they engage, away from the stack I8. Upon retraction of the sucker toward its inner position, the sucker is shut off from its source of vacuum, whereupon the lsignature is released from the sucker, and falls into the open gripper means 011l the primary transfer means 14 which is then disposed adjacent the hopper 20 as shown in FIG. 4.

A rotary valve 80 is provided to connect the sucker heads l78 to the source of vacuum and to disconnect it therefrom at appropriately tim'ed intervals. The valve 80 is formed by a disc 81, which is affixed to frame member l1 (FIG. l), and a rotary disc 82 which is driven by the main shaft l5 of the transfer means 14 andis thrust in strong face-to-face sealing engagement thereagainst. The rotary disc 82 is driven by the shaft l5 through the intermediary of a disc 83 affixed to the shaft, there being pins 84 affixed to the disc 83 which extend into blind bores iri the outer face of disc 82, coil compression springs (not shown) telescoped vabout the pins 84 acting between the discs 83 and 82 in order to thrust disc 82 against disc 8l.

Appropriate holes and grooves are provided in the confronting faces of the discs 81 and 82, some of the grooves communicating with a main vacuum supply pipe 85 and others communicating at predetermined intervals during the rotation of the shaft l5, with the sucker heads 78.

The parts are so constructed and arranged, as above ex plained, that the sucker heads are not connected to vacuum until they begin their outward swing toward the end signature 13a held in the hopper 20, the vacuum being cut off from the sucker heads when the sucker heads pull the lower end of the gripped signature above the curvedA feeding channel formed between the peripheral edges of the discs 27 and 29 and the outer curved guide members 33 which confront such edges but are radially spaced therefrom as shown in FIG. 5. In the construction shown the disc 8l is provided with a port 86 connected to conduit 85 and a port 87 connected to conduit 79, the two ports being angularly spaced and communicating with the face of disc 81 in contact with disc 82. A further port 90 in disc 81 communicates with the atmosphere. Two oppositely disposed identical part-circular grooves 88 and 89 are located in the face of disc 82 engaging disc 8l, grooves 88 and 89 lying on a circle coaxial of and of the same diameter as that upon which ports 86, 87, and 90 lie. When disc shaft 15 and thus disc 82 are disposed as shown in FIG. 3 the suckers 78 are connected to the source of vacuum through groove 88. When disc 82 is disposed as shown in FIG. 4, the suckers 78 are cut off from the source of vacuum and are connected to the atmosphere through port 90. Such actions are repeated when disc 82 has rotated through 180, so that groove 89 then cooperates with ports 86 and 87, and, upon further rotation, with port 90.

7 THE SECONDARY TRANSFER MEANS 22 AND 24r Since the two secondary transfer means 22 and 24 are identical except for the gripper operating cams, only the lower secondary transfer means 22 is here described in detail. Parts of transfer means 24 which are the same as those of transfer means 22 are designated by the same reference characters with an added prime. Transfer means 22 has a main horizontal shaft 92 which is journalled at opposite ends of bearings mounted in the side frame members 10 and 11. Fixedly mounted upon shaft 92 intermediate-the length thereof are three discs which are designated 94, 95, and 96, respectively, reading from right to left in FIG. 2. Discs 94 and 96 lie laterally outwardly of and close to discs 27 and 29, respectively, of the primary transfer means 14; disc 95 lies equidistant between discs 94 and 96. At one angular position of the discs 94, 95, 96 there is disposed a gripper shaft 97 which is journalled in such discs. Mounted on the laterally inner surfaces of each of the discs 94 and 96 at the -inner face thereof are gripper pads 99 which are similar in constructionA to the gripper pads 35 employed on the first or primary transfer means 14. Associatedwith the gripper pads 99 are gripper fingers 100 in the form of bent leaf springs, the root portions of the gripper fingers 100 are affixed to fittings secured to the shaft 97. Rocking of shaft 97 causes the gripper fingers 100 to oscillate to an open position spaced from the gripper pads 99; rocking of shaft 97 in the opposite. direction causes the fingers 100 to move into their closed operative position in which the ends thereof overlie the pads. The grippers 99, 100 on the transfer means 22 are selectively operated so that they are in open position when the leading edge of a signature 13 being carried by the primarytransfer means 14 approaches them. Thereupon the gripper 35, 36 on the transfer means 14 opens and the gripper means 99, 100 on the secondary transfer means 22 closes so that the signature is now carried forward by the secondary transfer means 22.

Actuation of the gripper means 99, 100 is effected by a gripper cam lever 101 which is affixed to the outer end of the shaft 97 adjacent the frame member'10, a cam follower in the form of a roll 102 journalled adjacent the outer end of lever 101, a ringlike composite cam 105 affixed to frame member 10, and a gripper return spring 103. Cam 105 is mounted upon a gripper cam hub 104 secured to frame member l0, as shown in FIG. 2. The spring 103 is a coil tension spring, the opposite ends of which are secured to anchoring means on the disc 94 and on the lever 101. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spring 103 acts to maintain the cam follower roll 102 in contact with the periphery of cam 105, the spring yielding to permit the opening of the gripper means 99, 100 upon the presentation of the lobe ofeam 105 to the cam follower roller 102.

The cam 105 which is affixed tothe frame member l0 is composed of two parts 106 and 108 (FIG. 6) which are adjustable angularly with respect to each other whereby to vary the length of the cam high zone or low. This permits the duration of the time during which the gripper 100 remains open to be suitable adjusted so that the transfer of the signature from the primary transfer means 14 to the secondary vtransfer means 22 may be effected smoothly. The cam 105 of the upper secondary transfer means 24 also as two cam members 106', 108', cam 106' being fixedly secured to frame member 10 and cam member 108' being adjustable relative thereto. Cams 106, 106' control the opening of the respective grippers whereas cams 108, 108' control their closing.

The main shaft of the primary transfer means 14 is provided with a pinion 107 (FIG. 2) affixed thereto. Pinion 107 serves as the means for driving the two secondary transfer means 22, 24 in timed relation with but in the opposite direction from the primary transfer means 14. Since the parts of the drive trains for means 22 and 24 are similar, only that for means 22 is specifically described, those for unit 24 being the same with an added prime. A pinion 109, which is of the same diameter as pinion 107, journalled on a stub shaft 110 afxed to plate member 10 meshes with pinion 107. A Timing belt sprocket 114 is affixedmto-pinion 109 so as to rotate therewith. A Timing belt 112 is entrained over the pulley 114 and over a further pulley 111 on-the shaft 92 of the secondary transfer `unit 22. Pulleys 111 and 114 are of the same diameter, as shown. The belt 1 12 is maintained suitable tight by an.

adjustable eccentrically mounted belt tightening pulley 115 (FIG. 1). It will be apparent that such means for driving the secondary transfer means 22 and 24.drives them at ,the same angular speedv as, and maintains them at all times in synchronism with, the primary transfer means 14 and with each other. The primary transfer means 14 has an effective outer diameter which somewhat exceeds that of the secondary transfer means 22 and 24, since the primary. transfer means must accommodate two equally angular spaced signature gripping stations thereabout whereaseach secondary transfer means has only one signature gripping means upon it.

The Collating Conveyors The lower Collating conveyor 25 and the upper Collating conveyor 26 are similar, the same reference characters being employed to designate similar parts except for the addition of a prime to the characters for unit 26. In unit 25 a transverse inclined plate is shown supported on 'a bracket 121 affixed to the frame of the apparatus. Generally beneath the lower secondary transfer means 22 there is disposed a longitudinally extending raceway 122 having a flat plate upon which signatures are gathered and along which they are conveyed from one Collating station to another. The signatures are conveyed along the raceway 122 by a plurality of upstanding pusher members 124 which are attached to the horizontal upper run 125 of a chain.- Signatures carried by the reel of the secondary transfer means 22 are released by the grippers 100 thereof when the grippers reach an approximate 8 oclock position as the parts are shown in FIG. 1. The signatures released by the grippers 100 are removedv from the reel of transfer means 22 by an inclined stripper plate 126 so as to fall with its leading, folded edge upon a pan 123 of the raceway and with the rear portion of the signature upon a guide rod 127 which is mounted at its rear end upon a block 129 affixed to the frame member 1l. The signature last discharged from the secondary transfer means 22 is carried along the pan 123 and guide rod 127 byv a respective finger 124; after such signature has travelled sufficiently t0 clearlthe forward end of pan 123 and the free end of the guide rod 127, it then falls upon the stack of collated signatures upon plate 122 and is carried by the conveyor as a part of such stack to the next signature transferring station.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested mannerof use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for transferring signatures in generally flat condition from a stack of signatures in a hopper in sequence to a plurality of spaced similar conveyors, comprising a primary transfer reel rotatable near the discharge end of the hopper on an axis fixed with respect to the hopper, a plurality of first signature gripping means angularly spaced about the axis of the primary transfer reel and fixedly positioned angularly on said reel when in signature-gripping position, means for bending an edge portion of successive signatures away from said stack to be gripped by said first gripping means, means for periodically operating the respective first gripping means to grip said bent edge portion of successive signatures to withdraw the signatures from the hopper so that the remainder of each signature trails the gripped edge portion thereof and lies spread out along and conforms to the periphery of the primary transfer reel, a pluralityof secondary transfer reels, one for each conveyor, interposed between the primary transfer reel and the respective conveyors, means for continuously l rotating the primary transfer reel in one direction and the secondary transfer reels in synchronism therewith in the opposite direction, the secondary transfer reels being angularly displa'ced from each other about the axis of the primary transfer reel, second signature gripping means on each of the secondary transfer reels to grip said edge portion of signatures presented thereto by a said first gripping means moving in the same general direction so that the remainder of the gripped signature trails the gripped edge portion thereof and lies spread out along and conforms to the periphery of the secondary transfer reel, means for periodically operating the first gripping means in sequence at predetermined angular positions of the primary transfer reel to release signatures to respective second gripping means, and means for periodically operating the second gripping means to grip said edge portion of signatures fed thereto by the primary transfer reel and to release such signatures after the secondary transfer reels have rotated so that the signatures thereon are brought into the respective conveyor. 2. Apparatus according to claim l wherein the said edge portion of each signature as withdrawn from the hopper is the leading edge thereof throughout the entire movement thereof by the primary transfer reel and the respective secondary transfer reel.

3. Apparatus according to claim l wherein the signatures are disposed in upright on-edge position with said edge portion lowermost in the stack in the hopper, the primary transfer reel rotates close to tangency with the lower end of the hopper, and the said edge portions of successive signatures in the hopper are presented to the first gripping means by a signature feeding means which is mounted at a fixed location relative to the hopper and which grips the foremost signature in the stack adjacent the lower edge thereof, moves such lower edge outwardly from the hopper and thereafter releases the signature in position to be gripped by a respective first gripping means on the primary transfer reel.

fggggo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,5+L+,097 Dated December 1, 1970 Inventor(s) crosta R. Linden.

It is certified that errer appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

f- Column l0, line l, after "into" insert proximity to Signed and sealed this 23rd day of March 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLEB, JR.

EDWARD M.FIETGHER,JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner' of Patents 

